This invention relates to magnetic clutches for use in wind-up operations involving spools of strands as, for example, recording tape. More particularly, this invention relates to means for axially locating such wind-up spools on magnetic clutches for flexibility and convenience of operation, particularly with respect to changes of tape spools on winding arbors.
In the prior art, use of adjustable torque magnetic clutches for control of tension in tape strands has required routine removal of the clutches from winding arbors for change of spools thereon. Removal and replacement of the clutches is a time consuming and laborious task, as a great number of such clutches may be positioned and turned in parallel on a single arbor. Thus, in a typical case where magnetic clutches are used to control tape tension, routine winding operations involve a large plurality of tape spools. Present practice calls for (1) removal of all clutches from the tape winding arbor (perhaps as many as forty in number), (2) removal of each spool of tape individually from each clutch, and (3) reloading of new spools on individual clutches for the next in a sequence of such winding operations. Because each spool is located adjacent a fixed flange on each clutch, the removal of each clutch from the arbor is required for each change of the spools.